Whether it’s a trip to the supermarket or a doctor’s appointment, older New Zealanders will now find it even easier to get where they need to go.
Uber has launched two new features, Senior Accounts and Simple mode, designed to help older Kiwis navigate the Uber app with greater ease, confidence and flexibility.
The new features marked another step in Uber’s efforts to improve mobility and provide accessible transport options for New Zealand’s ageing population.
More than 900,000 New Zealanders are now over 65, and this number is expected to exceed one million within the next five years. Yet many still face barriers to getting around – not because they don’t want to stay active and connected, but because the tools available aren’t easily accessible or don’t meet their needs.
Simple mode is an industry-first, easy-to-use interface with larger text, fewer buttons, and easy-to-follow screens, making it simpler for seniors to personalise the app to better suit their needs and stay in control of their account, even without the help of a family member.
At the same time, Uber has introduced a senior account available through Uber’s Family profile, where family organisers can support their loved ones with booking rides, managing payment methods, and receiving real-time trip updates – all from their own phone. Together, these new features work to help seniors stay active, mobile, and socially connected.
Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia & New Zealand, said the updates are about giving older Kiwis a better, simpler, and more user-friendly experience with technology.
“Movement is freedom. Whether it’s a weekly bridge game or a visit to whānau, older Kiwis should feel confident using the app to get where they’re going – without the stress or confusion that sometimes comes with technology,” said Foley.
“These updates were designed with simplicity and dignity in mind – to give older people more confidence, more independence, and a more user-friendly experience. We’re not asking people to adapt to the app – we’re adapting the app to them.”
Key features of Simple mode & senior account:
- Simplified booking: Older adults can request rides using a simplified version of the app with larger text, fewer buttons, and easy-to-follow screens.
- Saved places: Frequently visited locations – like home, the doctor, or a favourite store – can be saved by either the senior or their loved one for faster ride requests.
- Flexible payment options: Seniors can use a family organiser’s card or their own for Uber rides.
- Live trip tracking: To help keep loved ones informed, the family organiser can follow along in the app with real-time updates and live trip tracking whenever their parent or grandparent requests a ride.
- Help when needed: Family organisers can step in when needed and book rides on their phone for the senior, edit saved places, have a three-way chat with the senior and driver or call drivers on the rider’s behalf at any time during the trip.
Age Concern New Zealand recognised the update as a meaningful step toward inclusive, everyday technology.
“Age Concern New Zealand encourages older people and their families to think about how independence can be maintained as they transition to life without a car, which includes new ways to travel to attend events and occasions,” said Age Concern New Zealand Chief Executive, Karen Billings-Jensen.
“Age Concern New Zealand is pleased to see Uber looking at the design of apps and services that give access and choice to older people”.
This new rollout is part of Uber's broader mission to make Uber an accessible transportation solution to every stage of life.
